Despite his “no” vote, the Senate deal to reopen the government bears Schumer’s fingerprints
Either Schumer no longer has effective control over own his caucus, or he has permitted the deal to progress with a wink and a nod behind the scenes — and with a strident disavowal for the bank of cameras he famously loves — while taking Democratic voters for fools.
While I agree the Senate needs a new minority leader, does any congressional party leader truly control their caucus? Even Republicans can’t stop members of their caucus from voting differently. It wouldn’t be a democracy if they could.
One or two, sure, sometimes.
But eight of the 44? Nearly 1/5 of the Senate democrats, all at once? At least one was saying that they were “keeping leadership in the loop”, too.
Politicians aren’t new to talking among each other & forming factions. They had 41 days to get there.
Awareness doesn’t mean leadership could stop them. If leadership positively encouraged them or didn’t try to discourage them, then that would mean something.
If leadership couldn’t get even one of the eight to reconsider on something this important to the entire party, or wouldn’t, then they’re not effective leadership.
For all we know, they had discouraged the others until these 8 emerged that couldn’t be discouraged. It’s still a democracy: leadership can’t just use a crowbar.
The leadership definitely sucks, though.